The Scouting News is pleased to release our 2018 WHL bantam draft top 300 prospects ranking list for December. Our list was compiled by a highly qualified team of thirty-five 35 coaches, scouts, managers, agents and internal evaluators and is a consensus compilation of where we see players factoring into the draft landscape. Prominent players from this age group to watch out for include (in no ...

Wednesday midnight marked the final moment agents could file their final 2018 WHL bantam draft instructions to us and did one of our regional experts dispense us an earful on the planned placement of Stankoven over Dylan Guenther (NAX, F, 2003) …

Boston College has a strong crop of prospects slated to join the fold in 2019- 2020 and 2021, and our Ontario scout explained today why @colbyambrosio67 Ambrosio (02, Buffalo) will have a very special place in the organizational structure of the program!

Wednesday dusk marked the last day scouting evaluators could suggest their final 2018 WHL bantam draft two cents' worth to us, and one of our insiders did just that when he gave us final feedback on where Josh Hoekstra (OHA Edmonton, F) should be ranked for the WHL bantam draft …

Our Lethbridge based bantam - midget scout migrated to WHL rinks this season to ascertain first hand how Byram @BowenByram (01, Vancouver Giants) would handle the pressure of amplified major junior physicality and skill, and here are his thoughts …

Wednesday afternoon marked the critical moment scouts could forward their final WHL bantam draft guidance to us and did one of our regional specialists transmit us an earful on the proposed status of ...

OHL teams at times go off the beaten path and select goalies much earlier than everyone expected, so we asked our connected USA scout whether Tynan @TUCKERTYNAN1 (02, Little Caesars) could become a ...

Our BC regional scout would very much like to see Johnson @19kjohnson (02, F, BWC) get more BCHL experience and exposure in the next 12 months and he, of course, explained why it’ll be instrumental ...

Wednesday night time marked the last moment our list of scouting experts could submit their final 2018 WHL bantam draft judgments, and, boy, did we get an interesting email on a player who is often ...

Wednesday evening hours marked the day recruiters could submit their final 2018 WHL bantam draft ideas to us and did one of our regional insiders suspire us on the submitted placement of projectable ...

A number of under the radar Arizona born prospects have emerged out of obscurity over the last five years to win the attention of scouts, and Lee @logan13lee_ (02, Rink) is hoping to be next in line ...

An attention-grabbing scouting report (14 notes and commentaries) on where we think @S_Halliday77 Stephen Halliday (F, Toronto Marlboros, 2002) would be drafted if the OHL draft was held right now, ...

One scout we chat with every week was kind enough to break it down for us yesterday and explain why Jack Thompson @Jack__Thompson_ (D, 2002, Clarington Toros) is the most improved defender in the OHL ...

One of our Ontario based scouting specialists touches upon why he is unquestionably convinced Dylan Peterson @DylanPeterson28 (F, CIH Academy, F) will pass up the NCAA in favor of the OHL route when ...

9 well founded argument points for why @evan_vierling Evan Vierling is a first round OHL Draft candidate of merit now that we have graded, researched and cross referenced all the first half scouting ...

Our regional scout made an intriguing declaration today when he discussed the game of highly ranked OHL draft prospect Jacob Murray (2002, D, Oakville), so we asked him to expand on his thoughts and ...

One of our young scouts was frustrated blatantly with our November ranking of Sahil Panwar (Honeybaked, 2002, F), so we lent an ear, deciphered his comments and are publishing them here today to see ...

15 well thought out reasons why Reid Valade @reid_valade (Toronto Marlboros, 2002, F) is pretty much 100 percent guaranteed to be selected in the first round of the 2018 OHL draft now that the first ...

An exciting player for sure - 15 notes and opinions on a player who showed everyone in the first half he is a real candidate to get drafted in the top five slots of the 2018 draft process - Lleyton ...

Our regional MB scout went against the grain today when he submitted a short scouting essay on why he does not give @Carsonlamb7 Lambos (Rink, 03, D) unconditional support JUST YET as a number 1 pick ...

With at least 70 prospects vying for top 40 WHL draft ranking, we phoned our regional MB scout, who watches lots of CSSBHL action, and asked for key insight on where William Irvine (PCHA, 03) fits in ...

Number one ranked 2016 WHL draft candidate Peyton Krebs (5'11, 165, Rockey Mountain Raiders, 2002) exclusive interview is now online at The Scouting News. Discussion points included: (1) his injury rehab from a broken wrist, (2) how Steve Hanson, Dakota - Drew Krebs, Robin Bowers, Mike Evans and Mikey Kluner made him the player he is today, (3) thoughts on the Western Canadian Championships, (4) his best assets as a player (strengths and weaknesses), (5) summer off-ice program, (6) how he managed to cope with all the extra attention in his draft year, (7) what he learned from the adversity of his older brothers career and (8) his thoughts on elite 2001's in the Western Canada region like Byram @BowenByram, Gauthier, Van Impe @Van_Impe21, Mutala sashamutala, Rizzo and Williams @willie142001

Just as he was heading out to catch a plane to Slovakia for a major 2002 tournament, The Scouting News radio-tracked down highly ranked class of 2017 WHL prospect Ty Thorpe (@carriethorpe1, Brandon AAA Wheat Kings, 5’8, 140) for an exclusive interview! Key points we discussed: (1) his trip overseas to Europe. (2) News about his commitment to the RHA Nationals (Winnipeg) next season. (3) His thoughts on what he needs to do over the summer to put himself in line as a prime time prospect for the WHL bantam draft. (4) Thoughts on rising Manitoba 2002 talents of note like Jake Poole, Seth Jarvis, Anthony Kehrer, Logan Danis, Daemon Hunt and Dante Giannuzzi (all expected to be high WHL draft picks next year).

We’re spending a tremendous amount of time and resources developing a North American top prospect list for the 2003 age group, and we’ve literally been amazed at how much top 25 support @CarsonLadi91 Carson Latimer (2003, Semiahmoo Ravens, B.C Lightning, 5’4", 110 pounds) has been receiving from experts in the age group, who are all telling us he’s a player who has the potential to be a Canadian Hockey League "lottery draft selection" if he continues his current upwards trend!

Every NHL agency has been calling high end 2002 DOB prospect Cole Perfetti @coleperfetti91 (2002, Whitby Wildcats Minor Midget AAA, 5'6", 130) for a while now, and its no surprise whatsoever, after all, Cole is one of the top players in the country for his age group and plays a uniquely smart, intelligent and mature game with a ton of pace (and is years ahead of others in the developmental process).

Robby Griffin @RobbyGriffin10 (Boston Junior Bruins U16, 5'11, 155 pounds) is one of the best skaters in a 2001 group of talent that features a lot of high end burners (he has explosive speed, innate edges, gives rival defenders fits with his tight turns and pivots), so don’t be surprised when a lot of QMJHL teams offer Robby a first round draft slot next year, in spite of the fact he’s just recently committed to play hockey at the Northeastern University.

Miner @trent_miner (2001, Brandon Bantam AAA Wheat Kings, 6'1", 172 pounds) is a pressure goalie who delivers when it matters the most (in the crunch when his team needs a big save), and we think the WHL team that selects Trent will be getting themselves a potential franchise puck stopper … (this insiders report on Trent Miner is 1037 words … to continue reading please purchase a subscription to The Scouting News directly below).

Top end 2002 prospect Antonio Stranges (2002, Little Caesars 01 AAA, 5'8", 140) attacks like a cobra in the offensive zone and he's not afraid to take on the biggest and the strongest of defenders in one on one situations and scenarios (this kid will be a HIGH OHL draft pick in 2018, and get SERIOUS attention from the USA NTDP team).

(572 words) - We’ve always been major proponents of Emberson (2000, Team Wisconsin U16, LD) because he’s an engaged player who can play in all three zones and dominates in a wide variety of ways, so we weren’t really surprised to hear chit chat lately from hockey people, that Ty is on the right path to making himself a name on the early NHL draft ranking charts for 2018.

(625 words) - If the WHL draft was held today Ethan Bowen would be a top ten pick in the estimation of our British Columbia eye in the sky, who states what scouts like the most about Bowen' style this season is he drives the offensive momentum pretty much without fail every game, and is as consistent as they come!

EXCLUSIVE ONE ON ONE INTERVIEW: One of our Illinois-based scouts has provided us with fifteen reasons why he believes Pivonka (2000, 6'0, 185, Mission U16, @jake_pivonka20) will be one day a first round NHL draft selection (plus, an exclusive one on one interview with one of the games biggest rising stars).

If the USA NTDP was selecting the roster for their final 40 camp for the 2001 date of birth right today, there is no doubt two-way offensive producer John Farinacci (2001, NJ Colonials 01 AAA Bantam Major, 5’10, 160, @Farinacci87J) would be one of the first players approached, scouted, recruited and invited in our opinion!

(2103 words) - It’s a bit early to make NHL draft predictions for the USA 2000 age group, however, we will go out on a limb today and predict for the record that Samuelsson (@M__Samuelsson, 2000, Northwood school, 6'3, 205) will be a NHL first rounder. We’ve featured a lot of top NHL defenders on this site over the years long before they were household names, and there is no doubt Mattias is equal to many of them in important evaluation aspects like size, work ethic, passion, genetics, intelligence, skill-sets, durability and propensity for power comparatively speaking at the same age.

One of our top scouts in the New England area says Boston College recruit Knight (2001, MidFairfield Rangers, 6’5”, 180) is as athletic and talented as they come (and has surprisingly good natural movement and speed), so we asked this insider whether or not he’d select Spencer as an underage player for 2016 NTDP U17 program a year early given the advanced nature of his game!

Sasha Mutala (2001 BWC Bruins bantam AAA, 6’0”, 175 pounds) will hold the puck until the seam has opened up to his liking on the first wave, and like all great players he has that unique ability to hold his position if he doesn’t like his play options, buy time, find the second wave or smartly improvise when the play is closing in all around him! And, that in our opinion of our Vancouver based scout is what separates Sasha from the pack (and makes him into a top five WHL draft candidate, and future NHL draft selection)!

Emberson (2000, Team Wisconsin U16, Eau Claire Memorial High School, 6'0”, 190 pounds) has always been a top defenseman in the USA hockey system, however, this summer Ty literally exploded off the charts and put himself on the top of every college’s recruitment list on the country, and onto the first round draft projection charts of top end OHL teams!